Understanding Settlement Work

Understanding Settlement Work Workshop findings and design implications for supporting the complex decision

making landscape of immigrant settlement workers

March 13, 2013

Prepared for Courthouse Libraries BC

in collaboration with

Brenda Rose / Clicklaw Program Coordinator

Desy Wahyuni / Clicklaw Community Liaison

Gordon Ross / Vice President

[email protected] / 604 566.8301

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary

• Workshop Methodology

• Workshop Insights & Conclusions

• Next Steps: Recommendations

2

Executive Summary

Executive Summary

• OpenRoad facilitated a one-day discovery workshop at Courthouse Libraries office

in Vancouver, Feb 21, 2013, using participatory methods

• Settlement workers collectively analyzed a variety of decisions they are required to

make and determined what artifacts*, skills, habits, experience, and natural talents

(ASHEN) are required to support those decisions

• Amongst the key decision clusters or decision themes that emerged from the

workshop include the importance of initial assessments, resources and referrals,

safety, and eligibility. Participants described the interrelatedness of these decision

clusters, demonstrating a high degree of dependency and connection amongst all

decisions.

• ASHEN analysis suggests design opportunities to support the various decision

clusters for the PLEI sector, Courthouse Libraries BC, and the settlement workers’

agencies. New resources, training, checklists, further research are all possible

outcomes of this work.

* Artifacts – includes processes, documents, database tools, etc.

4

Workshop Methodology How the workshop unfolded and what exercises were undertaken by

the group

Workshop Methodology • Pre-workshop activity:

• Decision Questionnaire - immigrant legal

scenarios sent to settlement workers to

analyze what actions they undertake to

resolve their client’s issues

• Action/Decision Analysis - analysis of

questionnaire response, extraction of key,

high importance decisions faced by

settlement workers, creating raw material for

the workshop

• All-day workshop process:

• Decision Clustering - group sorting,

organizing of individual decisions from

questionnaire results into bigger clusters /

themes

• Input/Output - reviewed inputs and outputs

of decisions

• ASHEN - asked what artifacts, skills, habits,

experience , natural talent required to make

decisions. Group discussion to end the

session.

6

Pre-Workshop Methodology

• Four different scenarios provided to immigrant

settlement workers, each describing a different legal

subject area.

• For each scenario, settlement workers were asked:

• How would you help this client? Please describe

how you would approach this and describe the steps

you would take to assist this client.

• Please identify the key decisions you would have to

make to assist your client.

• 12/14 workshop attendees answered the questionnaire.

• 75 decisions were extracted from the questionnaire

answers and transcribed onto post-it notes, to be used

as the raw material for a grouping exercise by workshop

participants.

7

Decision Questionnaire/Analysis

Workshop Methodology

• 75 individual decisions were clustered into similar

groups, by the settlement workers in a group exercise.

• 12 major decision clusters emerged

• Analysis Round 1: participants were asked to describe

inputs and outputs to decisions and what resources are

used

• Analysis Round 2: participants were asked to describe

the interrelatedness of the decision clusters as a

network diagram

• Analysis Round 3: participants were asked, for each

decision cluster, what artifacts, skills, habits, experience,

and natural talent is required when the type of decision

is made

• Open discussion / wrap-up

8

Decision Clustering/Analysis

Workshop Insights Observations and conclusions from the workshop

Decision Clusters

• safety

• initial assessment

• quick service

• trust

• language

• eligibility

• financial

• org/program mandate

• self assessment

• referral and resources

• support

• urgency

10

12 major decision clusters emerged from the group’s analysis

Decision Cluster Connectivity

11

All displayed varying degrees of connection, demonstrating the

importance of certain decisions, like initial assessment and

referral & resources, in relation to others.

connections

initial assessment 10

referral and resources 9

safety 7

language 6

eligibility 6

support 6

financial 5

trust 4

urgency 4

org/program mandate 4

self assessment 4

quick service 3

ASHEN Output (1/4)

Workshop participants identified what artifacts, skills, habits, experience, and natural

talents (ASHEN) were used to support decision clusters. These lists are transcribed from

the workshop post-it notes.

12

Initial Assessment

have gone through the same experience

social work background

be interested

understanding/welcoming/happy personality

open-minded

easy to talk to

empathy

thorough details

following up

organization of documents

asking questions

listening

cultural sensitivity

language

communication

experience

settlement eligibility assessment criteria

form

generic form (global assessment form for

basics)

drop-in

referral

telephone

assessment form

database software & computer

Trust

positive attitude

good listener

empathy

training:- cross cultural

second language

current knowledgeable

helpful attitude

empathy

listening skills

communication skill

asking questions

cross cultural training

non-judgment

sensitivity training

communication skills

listening skills

empathy training

monitoring form

evaluation form

feedback form

comment form

posted in various languages: compliant

procedure

confidentiality form in various languages

signage in office

Quick Service

generalist disposition

good memory

good listener

quick learner

broad experience

good listener

community services

training

language ability

listening skills

client centered

quick decision

computer skills

knowledge on language specific

knowledge of resources in communities

knowledge of CIC

count no. referral

collect -> services provided ->

count # of service areas

data collection form

ASHEN Output (2/4)


talents (ASHEN) were used to support decision clusters.

13

Financial

interaction skills

people skills

counseling

listening

assessment skills

keep copy of clients' ID (legal paper)

observation

initial assessment

knowledge of possible financial benefits

computer skills

tax knowledge

accounting skills

language

personal owning

tax workshops

welfare initial aids/pension incomes

income tax (noa)

banking (account balancing)

CCTB

volunteer for help

Self Assessment

work with commitment

everyday practicing

learn from my mistakes

self preparation w/ information and

resources

self evaluation

to have debriefing

our own experience

open mind

tolerant

be sympathetic

be generous

be good listening

be resilient

learn to say no

empathy

ability to know what you don't know

job eval w/ supervisor

we would like to have more training re: /

stress management

take care of myself (health) x emotional

read about multiculturalism

be aware of my bias

client eval of how worker is doing

"code of ethics" (doesn't exist)

diversity training

Support

encourage our clients

teaching the client in becoming self-sufficient

case management

tend to help client beyond program's

mandate

attentive listener

education training experience

empathy

good listening

community connections

keep the good relationship w/ other services

and organizations (resources)

referrals

gaining client's trust

counseling

resources in client's first language

ASHEN Output (3/4)


talents (ASHEN) were used to support decision clusters

14

Org/Program Mandate

Good memory

accepting of new rules/studying skills

direct services

events organizing

case management

attending regular internal meetings

initial assessment form (glance)

update yourself (information)

attending regular training

initial assessment

counseling skills

computer (database)

knowledge of each policy

memorized skill

organizing skill

filing skill

attending workshops and seminars

policy changes/update broadcasts/emails

supervisor who can answer

feedback from clients

perf reviews

program policy

ORG policy

Immigration documents

Intake form

Safety

Mental checklist of questions

extracting information

experience going through similar situations

dealing with safety issues

safety and well being regulations

active listening

first aid course

asking questions

local safety resources

safety plan

training

worker safety training

client safety assessment checklist

first aid kit

fire extinguisher

safety protocols

physical layout of your office

(“safety” refers to both worker safety and

client safety)

Eligibility

Direct communication

Being a good listener

Education

Previous experience

continuous learning through: - gov't services,

- trainings,

- colleagues

through client situation/cases

Present-SIP/ assumptions -eligibility, -fix the problem

Future-SIP/ more pointed questions before services

provided

Self Assessment

Settlement Orientation Training

Networking/Bldg. community contacts

Knowledge about the program

deep knowledge of eligibility criteria

ability to exercise discretion - RT status (new)?

verbal communication / interaction

client intake form

Immigration Documents -PR card, landing dox,

confirmation of PR (A)

ASHEN Output (4/4)

•Workshop participants identified what artifacts, skills, habits, experience, and natural

talents (ASHEN) were used to support decision clusters

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Referral & Resources

Immigration Law (training & updates)

Language training (3rd language)

Employment Standards Act (Training & Update)

Tenancy Rights (Training & updates)

Family Law (Training)

Paraphrasing

Active listening

Taking notes

Stay calm w/ diff clients or stressful situation

Talking w/ supervisor when diff situations or client

Self evaluation - questioning myself.

Training for new family law (update)

Training every time a new resource is available

Legal resource training (dif processes for)

dif. Issues e.g. housing, employment, education

computer proficiency training

basic counseling training

establish referral protocol

generic forms

tools fact sheet

specific issues information, publication & brochures

in 1st language

tools comp/laptops, ipads, smart phones

database of comm. Services inc. website, dif.

Language they serve client/worker

Patient

Quick learner

Good listener

Resourceful

Ability to calm people who are stressful

Out Spoken

good resources

Language

Patience

Non-Judgmental Attitude

Body language

life experience/maturity

active listening

cultural competence b/c settlement worker

is from the same cultural background

cultural competence b/c settlement worker

is very familiar with that clients

culture/language

orientation toward encouraging to learn

english

create a cultural comfort zone

settlement workers fluent in diff lang

training in diff languages

english classes (at the right time)

CLB, ELSA, language tests

life skills workshop

forms in different languages: spanish, farsi,

chinese, punjabi, taglog

interpretation services $

documentation of education level

translation services

Urgency

Transition houses

counselors for women + children fleeing violence

scarcity of resources/wait lists late?

google search

phone

red book

safety checklists

support for the worker

waitlist knowledge (websites/phone service)

professional network

protocol for common emergencies

supervision

teamwork

cpi / (non violent crisis information)

active listening

crisis management training

1st aid

training in need assessment

knowing the local laws/subject matter

knowing resources

ask ?'s

checklist

book the amount of time to do it

crisis time experience

quick decision maker

manage yourself

calm

professionalism

Workshop Analysis Observations and conclusions from the workshop

Post-Workshop Analysis

• For each of the major themes, Courthouse Libraries and OpenRoad reviewed the

ASHEN output and set about to answer the questions:

• Why does the decision cluster / decision theme matter?

• What can the PLEI sector do to support and improve decision making in this

decision cluster related to legal matters?

• More specifically, what can Courthouse Libraries of BC do (via Clicklaw, other

CLBC initiatives, and building off existing work being done by others) to

support and improve decision making in this decision cluster related to legal

matters?

• Are any of the decision clusters / decision themes more or less relevant for

asking the question, how can PLEI help? Who can help for those less relevant

clusters/themes?

This last question attempts to acknowledge that useful insights were derived

for the entire immigrant settlement worker community, but may be out of the

scope of this investigation and subsequent PLEI-related initiatives.

17

Initial Assessment

18

Why it matters? What can PLEI do? What can CLBC do?

• Initial assessment can be very influential

in shaping the future possibilities of how

an issue is resolved

• Small decisions up front can have

significant impact later

• Focusing on presenting problems may

mean you miss the bigger, larger

problem which is the “real issue”

• You have to assess - it can’t be avoided

• A breadth of legal knowledge is required

to be effective - workers need to know a

little about a lot and be generalists,

recognizing when they are beyond their

own depth, and need to hand-off

• Continue to make sure resources are

available to settlement workers so they

can gain sufficient legal knowledge

(training, courses, print materials, online,

etc.)

• Make legal information useful, usable,

and findable by including settlement

workers and/or new immigrants in the

design process

• Make the format appropriate for

settlement workers and/or new

immigrants by including settlement

workers and/or new immigrants in

design process

• Help keep settlement workers informed

about changes, important developments

in the law (keep them up to date on

relevant legal matters) / (email

newsletters / listserv communities of

practice / intervening in existing

communities of practice)

• Keep settlement workers informed about

changes, important developments in the

law

• Blog about new resources that

come available, curated

specifically for areas of interest for

settlement workers

• Create a curated subset of content

that Clicklaw currently offers for

settlement workers, co-developed

with volunteers from the

settlement worker community

• Target existing online communities

/ listservs with updates about

Clicklaw (increase reach &

awareness to settlement workers -

keep top of mind).

• Make legal information useful, useable



Clicklaw design process

Referral and Resources

19


• This is where the action is; it's where

resolution is happening (or at least one

step closer)

• Where there's a hand over / transition to

another service provider, there's a risk

that it's not successful, gap there

• Settlement workers have to be able to

find resources and referrals - that

suggests an information findability

problem

• Resources matter, because the

opportunity for clients to solve problems

themselves may exist

• Solving it yourself matters, because the

people services are limited - there's

scarcity of that service (whereas some

resources, digital ones, scarcity

problems don't exist in the same way)

• Settlement workers need to know the

boundaries of what they can provide and

once reached, refer

• Recognizing that boundary & the

potential harm caused if overstepped

• Resources have a lifespan - persist

through time; which in turn help educate

& strengthen the knowledge of a broader

community (resource as social object)

• Make legal information useful, usable,



design process.

• Create different types of resources: legal

information services (via people, tools,

training); legal info & referral services

that PLEI provides (there are limits on

what they do);

• Explore new ways of engaging with the

intended audience; PLEI resources: how

do you get people to use them, trust

them - build in that human element

• Investigate different formats (e.g. theatre

to demonstrate legal problem solving)

• Support settlement workers to develop

better information and referral skills;

(model: how librarians always reference

the source of legal information). Result:

not only improves the credibility of

referral / resource (teaches client,

teaches the settlement worker, may lead

to other discoveries)

• Evaluate what’s currently available to

see what’s working

• Continue to catalogue the legal

information resources & legal services

for new immigrants on Clicklaw

• Make it easier for repeat Clicklaw users

to find their favourite resources/services

• Build alerts to new resources and

services on Clicklaw

• Allow for Clicklaw user review of

resources (i.e. allow settlement workers

to rate and rank resources)

• Evaluate other ways of expanding, other

ways of relevancy / popular ranking

(exploring options to guide people to

right resources via network analysis of

resources)

• Share expertise with settlement workers

in how to provide information and

referral services

Quick Service (a type of Resource & Referral)

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• Ultimately, as described by the workers,

it's a type of referral: here's the source; I

know the answer

• But the risk is that they might be blind

another answer if they rely on memory

• A resource (or referral) in workers’ head

could be out of date, new resource

should be in their head instead (back to

the same problems currency of

information, keeping up to date, adding

a bit of rigor around developing the

skills)

• Its quickness can be deceiving ; the

perception of quickness might not be

quick

• Inventory or look into what the body of

basics about "quick service" actually is

• Might suggest creation of new resources

and of new processes around updates to

those resources

• Support the ongoing discovery and

cataloguing (and finding) of resources

Safety & Urgency

21


• Safety (of the client as well as the

settlement worker) is clearly important

• Human lives hang in the balance with

the possibility and threat of violence

• Safety is directly related to urgency,

which helps workers prioritize where to

start (initial assessment), impacts

referrals and resources

• Other urgent matters: job at risk, kids at

risk, impacts quality of life, here, now,

today of the client

• Urgency & safety combined is about the

most important thing settlement workers

attend to

• Continue to provide resources on

violence in relationships (expands on

traditional version of abuse)

• Victim services programs exist, clearly

point to referral opportunities in other

material

• Ongoing training around screening for

violence

• Direct to available assessment tools to

screen for violence

• Being clear and helping expand the

boundaries / definitions around safety

(safety of seniors, elders)

• Decisions are being made in real-time,

the referral info must be up to date and

accessible: accuracy of data (e.g. up to

date phone numbers), findability of data

• Findability of content, understandability

of content / plain language / quality of

the content

• Suggests understanding what's on the

other side of urgent (what information

corresponds with urgent) / design

implication is to contemplate where to

create resources that don’t currently

exist

• Explore building better connections

between resources and services on

Clicklaw.

• Via Clicklaw, design so that certain

keywords trigger a reminder to call

particular services (searching for

words that would be directly

related to the possibility of

violence)

• Via Clicklaw, link common

questions to include help map

services; helping the urgency

aspect of the user find things

quickly in their community (both

settlement worker and possibly

other proxy users or immigrants

themselves)

• Clicklaw resources and services are as

up to date and accessible as possible.

• Explore ways to better share

service information between

service providers and Clicklaw

Language

22


• Immigrants speak different languages

other than English

• Inability to speak and/or read English

represents a significant barrier to being

successful in resolving an immigrant’s

issue, legal or otherwise.

• Commitment to basic legal information

in a multitude of different languages

• Translate and adapt materials; different

immigrant groups have different contexts

and it’s not just a one-for-one translation

• Reality: the services have to be

navigated in English, making some

language strategies not practical; set too

high an expectation (and a false sense

of service) compared to reality

• IPC project: targeting ethnic media;

changes in the law; e.g.: running a story

in Chinese newspapers; continue to tap

into where the community is getting their

information (have others do work for

you)

• IPC: mapped out media that each

community would go to; produce info in

that language, available in that

community

• Clicklaw: review resources in different

languages (current site = 2011 language

decision) - in 2013 look at different

groups, add to Clicklaw

• Conduct more regular review for legal

info and services available in other

languages

• Localization: keep navigation in English,

important to be realistic and manage the

user expectations (don't have capacity

to provide navigation/service in other

languages.)

• Make it easier to respond to changes in

landscape – if new language group

emerges, be able to respond and add it

to Clicklaw quickly

Financial & Eligibility

23


• Might discuss financial eligibility about

service at our settlement org

• Might also mean financial eligibility

about other services / orgs

• How do we get you help financially out

there?

• Taxes: understanding the tax system as

an area of law (part of becoming

Canadian); difficulty: super broad

• Are you eligible for welfare, housing

benefit, child tax benefit, how do you

qualify for CPP, OAS, etc.

• Other possibilities: i've got a job, how do

I file my taxes, I have a business, how

do I file my taxes

• Your own financial eligibility; ability to get

legal aid (part of referral process)

• Financial theme as a presenting

problems: it could be the source of lots

of issues

• Settlement worker decision around

possibility or perception of eligibility,

could limit client access (same as initial

assessment: small decision up front

means big downstream impact)

• No point sending them to something

they are not eligible for (client who is

making 6 figures, owns 3 properties,

won't send to legal aid)

• PLEI provides description of some

legally related benefits, resources

(categorized as things financial that you

can do yourself)

• Provide clear communication around

what eligibility criteria are

• Possible project: common eligibility

standards? Definitions of assets, etc.

• Explore ways of improving content and

visibility of information on HelpMap

services, i.e. making “restrictions”

information tab more visible.

Support, Trust, Org Mandate & Self Assessment

• Categories less applicable to PLEI and Courthouse Libraries but still

very important:

• Support - discussed the immigrant / settlement worker relationship

and trying to help immigrants become self sufficient (tension

between not helping enough and helping too much)

• Trust - was focused on the relationship between the immigrant /

settlement worker; how to be credible, reliable, personable?

• Org Mandate - decisions focused on settlement workers evaluating

whether their org was responsible in a particular situation (related

to Referral if answer is no)

• Self Assessment - settlement worker individual care, professional

development, avoiding burnout

Next Steps Our recommendations for moving forward with the settlement

workers and supporting their decisions

problem space solution space

you are here

Reference: Design Council, UK

http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/designprocess

Next Steps

• Report out findings to the Immigrant PLEI Consortium project

members (IPC), settlement workers involved in the project, and Public

Legal Education and Information Working Group (PLEIWG)

• Review Courthouse Libraries BC design implications against current

service plan for 2013/2014

• Review design implications with IPC, Clicklaw steering committee for

feedback

• Submit proposal to Ministry of Justice to respond to report findings as

they relate to CLBC work.

27

Summary of Possibilities: What CLBC can do… (1/5)

• Alerts: Keep settlement workers informed about changes, important

developments in the law

• Build alerts to new resources and services on Clicklaw

• Review existing knowledge about communication methods that

work best with settlement workers; consultation with settlement

workers

• Blog about new resources that come available, curated specifically

for areas of interest for settlement workers

• Target existing online communities / listservs with updates about

Clicklaw (increase reach & awareness to settlement workers - keep

top of mind).

28


• Content: Ongoing discovery and cataloguing of legal information

resources & legal services for new immigrants on Clicklaw

• Consult with settlement workers re: content

• Content: Clicklaw resources and services are as up to date and

accessible as possible.

• Explore ways to better share service information between service

providers and Clicklaw

29


• Content: Clicklaw: review languages (current site = 2011 language

decision) - in 2013 look at different groups, add to Clicklaw

• Navigation: Localization: keep Clicklaw in English, keeping

expectations realistic (resources required to provide language specific

navigation would be out of scope of project funding and require

substantial ongoing funding)

• Findability: Make it easier for repeat Clicklaw users to find their

favourite resources/services

30


• Findability: Make legal information findable by including settlement

workers and/or new immigrants in the Clicklaw design process

• Findability: Explore building better connections between resources

and services on Clicklaw.

• Via Clicklaw, design so that certain keywords trigger a reminder to

call particular services (searching for words that would be directly

related to the possibility of violence)

• Via Clicklaw, link common questions to include help map services;

helping the urgency aspect of the user find things quickly in their

community (both settlement worker and possibly other proxy users

or immigrants themselves)

31


• Feedback: Allow for Clicklaw user review of resources (i.e. allow

settlement workers to rate and rank resources)

• Feedback: Evaluate other ways of expanding, other ways of relevancy

/ popular ranking (exploring options to guide people to right resources

via network analysis of resources)

• I&R Training: Share CLBC expertise with settlement workers on

information and referral services (best practices)

32

Appendix

• Pre-workshop Questionnaire questions (Word doc)

• Decision Workshop Transcription (Excel file)

• Attendee list (Word doc)

33

Thank You

Gordon Ross / Vice President

[email protected]

604 694-0554 x103

Andrea Team / Project Manager

[email protected]

604 694-0554 x 130